Northport city employees soon could get raise

NORTHPORT | Northport employees soon could receive a raise, although it’s not clear what the amount will be or the fiscal impact on the city.

By Lydia Seabol AvantStaff Writer

NORTHPORT | Northport employees soon could receive a raise, although it’s not clear what the amount will be or the fiscal impact on the city. The details of the raise were still being worked out late last week and may not be finalized until today, said City Administrator Scott Collins. Ultimately, the goal is to bring employee salaries as close as possible to those in the city of Tuscaloosa and make Northport’s wages competitive with other local governments, he added. It’s likely that all hourly employees — the majority of city employees — will receive raises.“The ultimate goal is to be competitive, because the only way we are going to be successful, have the best services and hold our employees accountable is to be competitive,” Collins said.Northport has traditionally offered lower wages than Tuscaloosa, which has been a problem in certain departments, like police and fire, in which employees will sometimes leave for higher-paying jobs across the river. For several years during the recent recession, the city couldn’t afford to give employee raises. Employees received a raise in 2011, but the compensation is still far from what Tuscaloosa pays, Collins added. It’s important to at least get as close to Tuscaloosa’s wages as possible, said Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon. “I think we’ve got the best people now, and we want to keep them while attracting more of the best people,” Herndon said. “Higher pay means more longevity for our officers and firefighters and public works employees. They need to be paid for what they do. They do a great job.” While Northport is trying to increase its wages, it also needs to walk a line between being competitive and offering what the city can afford. In 2010, payroll comprised about 74 percent of the city’s budget. At that point, the city was forced to lay off 19 employees. Right now, payroll accounts for 62 percent of Northport’s budget. “We also have to consider the capital needs of the city for equipment, repair and operations, which are just unfortunately, expensive,” Collins said. There are no plans to take on any more debt in the near future, which means the city must operate within its budget. The city’s budget operates on a calendar year, and for the first time has about $2 million in reserves. “I believe we’ve been conservative fiscally,” Collins said. “However, we are just now coming through a very difficult financial period, and we have to be very careful we don’t put ourselves in that position again.” In addition to employee raises, the city’s auditors, LeCroy Hunter & Co., are expected to make their presentation of the 2011 budget during the Northport City Council meeting tonight. A brief financial update of the current status of the city will also be given. Herndon said he invites city residents, especially those running for office, to learn about the city’s financial status. The Northport City Council will have an open pre-meeting at 5 p.m. with its bi-monthly council meeting at 6 p.m. tonight at the Northport City Hall.